Take Two Disappointed With BioShock 2

Game making can be a risky business, and sometimes you can be a victim of your own success.

BioShock was about as complete as a game could be. It was innovative, had fun gameplay and told a compelling and complete story. The sequel, however, received a much more lukewarm reception when it was released back in February.

Take Two boss Brian Feder believes that the familiarity with the setting afforded by the first game meant that much of the sense of wonder was lost, which in turn hurt sales: "The surprise factor is always going to be there," he said. "Sometimes they work for you and sometimes they work against you. Our goal is to have them work for us, more often than not."

Feder said that the BioShock series has plenty more life in it, calling the franchise "viable", but said that while BioShock 2 had done reasonably well, it had not been a stunning success: "BioShock 2 is profitable for the company," he said. "It was ultimately successful, but not hugely successful."

If/when a BioShock 3 does come, it will be interesting to see where the game goes. Will it risk another trip to Rapture, or will it abandon the sea for some new location? It's hard to imagine a BioShock without an undersea setting, but that might be just what is needed to make the game a success.

Disclosure(s): Strauss Zelnick, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., is the head of ZelnickMedia, an investor in both Take-Two and Defy Media, LLC, our parent company. This article was published without approval or consent of ZelnickMedia or Take-Two.